Oil extraction equipment

ABSTRACT

It is the object of this invention to enable the oil extraction from low yield costly wells without using the usual piping installations under conditions that make it possible to obtain a continuous oil flow.  
     This invention is characterized in that it comprises a proportionally wide endless band which acts as a conveyor belt having a first section extended between a first outer set of holding rolls that guide a cellar top end frame, mounted on the hole of the latter, in order to connect the second and third hanging sections of the respective adjacent rolls which are longitudinally extended in respect with each other, by the inner part of the well with free movement with regard to the lining-wall thereof, one of them being up stream and the other one being down stream, and connected with each other by means of a second set of rolls having a lower end head which tautens them, and which as a diver is deeply submerged in the oil layer, thus providing a counterweight capable of securing the permanent laying of the band along its length, and comprising said second and third sections their respective sectors out of the well hole, of which at least the corresponding up stream section is operatively related with the means capable of causing the detachment of the oil layer adhered to both faces of the band, said means being connected with corresponding collecting means, including said top cellar end frame, where propelling means of the band coupled to at least a motor pulley integrated in said first set of rolls and connected thereto by means of a friction transmission, being both sections of the band extended within the well and operatively related with supplementary guiding and retaining means, which are jointly extended together thereto and suspended independently of said sections from said top cellar end frame.

[0001] This invention refers to an oil extraction equipment to be usedpreferably in low yield costly wells.

[0002] From an economic point of view, said wells do not compensate forthe usually costly pumping installations despite the fact they are incondition to provide a significant oil flow.

[0003] This matter is obviously simple. It consists in making said wellsproduce with a less costly equipment while providing a flow that turnsthem to be profitable.

[0004] There have been several attempts by means of a long tubular andpreferably flexible container having a lower loading open end with aretaining valve and being suspended from a load line by its open topend, so that when said tubular container is introduced into theoil-bearing layer, it is filled up and then lifted at which time saidretaining valve is automatically closed and on the surface, it isunloaded within a volute chamber and so on, this method also comprisesproviding means that may collect the oil stuck on the line and outersurface of the container.

[0005] However, as it may be easily noticed, said system, which may bewell qualified as rudimentary, does not make it possible to obtain aneconomically compensating yield for multiple obvious reasons.

[0006] It is to be pointed out that there have been certain developmentsto collect oil from the layers that for certain reasons are formed onthe aqueous surfaces by means of certain endless lift-type, with dippersor equivalent ones, but this solution cannot be applied when it isnecessary to operate in great depths and within such a narrow tube widthas in the present case where, as it may be seen, a guiding system wouldbe necessary so that at 500 meters or more it enables the correctdirection of the lifting element as well as the obtention of the properflow at the well hole.

[0007] Therefore, the main and basic purpose sought by this inventionconsists in obtaining an equipment that on the basis of an endless liftmay be introduced into and operated within a standard piping system ofan oil well with the assurance of a perfect lifting element laying sothat its portion with the oil load may cleanly go up without grazing thewell walls or its lower part, whichever the operation depth is, that isto say for example a 500-meter depth.

[0008] The above-mentioned result is intended to be obtained by means ofa simple and practical construction arrangement that does not requireprecision mechanics for its construction and it has a sturdy portablestructure wherein all of its components may be completely made withelements of common use in the general mechanics art.

[0009] Likewise, this invention comprises obtaining an equipment easyand simple to maintain and that may be performed without the need ofgreat specialization.

SUMMARY

[0010] The above-mentioned purposes as well as the ones that will becomeevident below have been carried out with the equipment being the objectof this invention, which characterization is focused on the fact that itcomprises a proportionally wide endless band which acts as a conveyorbelt having a first section extended between a first outer set ofholding rolls that also guides a cellar top end frame, mounted on thetop hole of the latter, in order to connect the second and third hangingsections of their respective adjacent rolls which are longitudinallyextended together at the same level, by the inner part of the well withfree movement with regard to the lining-wall thereof, one of them beingup stream and the other one being down stream, and connected with eachother by means of a second set of rolls having a lower end head whichtautens them, and which as a diver is deeply submerged in the oil layer,thus providing a counterweight capable of securing the permanent layingof the band along its length, and comprising said second and thirdsections two sectors out of the well hole, of which at least thecorresponding up stream section is operatively related with the meanscapable of causing the detachment of the oil layer adhered to both facesof the band, said means being connected with corresponding collectingmeans, including said top cellar end frame, propelling means of the bandcoupled to at least a motor pulley integrated in said first set of rollswhich are connected to said motor pulley by a friction transmission, andboth sections of the band are also extended within the well andoperatively related with supplementary guiding and retaining means,which are jointly extended at the same level and suspended independentlyof said sections from said top cellar end frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] In order to enable the easy comprehension of this invention andfor a better clarity thereof, the equipment being the subject matter ofthis invention has been illustrated as an example according to one ofits preferred embodiments.

[0012]FIG. 1 shows a general perspective view of the above-mentioned topcellar end frame, which must be mounted on the well hole by means of acorresponding supporting structure settled at the surrounding groundlevel.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a scheme top view and longitudinal section L-L of thetop end frame or head of the equipment which is mounted at a high levelwith regard to the well hole, and supported on said supporting structurewith the diver frame and band already introduced in the well, togetherwith the guiding and retaining carriers of both sections which theequipment includes within the well as a centralizing train extendedbetween said sections from the well hole to the diver head, with anannexed sketch as FIG. 2′ showing the general aspect of said carriers ina top side view.

[0014]FIG. 3 is a cross-section scheme view T-T of the diver frame thathas already been introduced into the well.

[0015]FIG. 4 is the same view as that of FIG. 2′ but in a bigger scale.

[0016]FIG. 5 is a top side view and longitudinal section R-R of thecarrier.

[0017]FIG. 6 is a face view of the same centralizing carrier.

[0018]FIG. 7 is a cross-section view S-S of said centralizing carrierbeing schematically illustrated within the well.

[0019]FIG. 8 is a top scheme view of the equipment head showing anotheraspect of the general arrangement thereof and of its propelling means.

[0020]FIG. 9 is a cross-section scheme view M-M of said head showinganother aspect of the oil collecting means unloaded by the up streamband section.

[0021]FIG. 10 is a part scheme view of the top cellar end frame showingan alternative as to the friction transmission arrangement between adouble motor pulley and the lifting band with supplementary adjustingmeans between said pulleys.

[0022] In the different figures, the same signs indicate equal orcorresponding parts or elements.

DESCRIPTION

[0023] In accordance with what has been explained and illustrated, theequipment has been developed on the basis of a continuous extractionconcept and for said purpose, it comprises a wide endless band A,preferably made in a material such as polypropylene, with a frameworkthat turns the oil adherence easy, which as a conveyor belt, itcomprises a first section I which is extended at a high level on thewell hole, between the supporting rolls which are also the guide of saidconveyor belt comprising a first set b, mounted with free rotation oncorresponding axis and supports of a top end frame B, which is mountedat a high level over the well hole P on a corresponding supportingstructure E, said set comprising a pair of rolls 1 adjacent to eachother and over which said first section I is connected with both thesecond a third long hanging sections II and III thereof, which arelongitudinally extended together towards the interior of the well andspaced out between each other in a parallel way, with a narrowseparation between them and with regard to the wall-lining p thereof, sothat said they may freely move without touching each other or withouttouching said wall, one of them up stream and the other one down stream,in view of a supplementary arrangement of guiding and retaining means inboth sections of the band included within the well and which is referredto below.

[0024] Once said sections are within the well and submerged in the oillayer, they connect with each other through a second set of rolls cmounted with free rotation in the supporting frame c′ of a lower endhead C which as a diver and acting as such, is deeply submerged into theoil layer, thus providing its own counterweight c″ and hanging below itand duly spaced out from the well lining, but in such a way that it mayhelp with the centralization thereof and exerting a permanent tensilestress on the band so that it causes a steady laying of the band in allits length, including its outer face and consequently secures theseparation between said up stream and down stream sections and the bandadjustment on said set of rolls that guide it along its whole extension.

[0025] Both the second and third section II-III comprise two sectors 2out of the well hole 3, but within said top head B and comprised betweensaid top head and the rolls 1 in respect of which they extend towardsthe interior thereof, and in operative relation with this sector 2 ofthe up stream section III, there are means d capable of causing thedetachment of the oil layer adhered to both faces of the band andcollecting means e thereof to collect and take to a tank, as illustratedin FIGS. 2 and 9 as a way of example.

[0026] In this embodiment, said top cellar end frame B is made on thebasis of a casing providing a big collecting tray e spread out belowsaid first section I and first set of rolls b with a hole 4 for thepassage towards said sectors 2 of both the first and second sectionsaccording to the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 2, where the hole islimited in its interior by a ring partition 5 to retain the oilcollected in said tray e on which a lid 6 with two narrow grooves 6′ forthe passage towards the band is adapted, and where one of said grooveshas a bigger size in order to let the corresponding up stream sectionIII with its oil load in.

[0027] On said lid 6 and with relation to said up stream section III,there are the said separating means d as flaps 7 which obliquelydirected converge over both faces of the band in its same direction sothat an adjustment relationship is established to achieve the detachmentof the oil layer by friction on both sides of the band there being nolimit as to the performance, arrangement and number of flaps, whichpractically leave both faces of the band completely clean before it getsin contact with the first higher roll 1, as in the general schemeillustrated in FIG. 2.

[0028] The above-mentioned first set of rolls b further includes a pairof direct suspension rolls 1 of the band, an auxiliary roll 8 thatguides one of said rolls and secures the laying of its first section Iaround a motor pulley 9 which is coupled to corresponding means for itspropelling by friction transmission between said motor pulley and theband, according to the general scheme arrangement illustrated as a wayof example in FIGS. 2 and 8, so that the band is moved without slippingand the oil layer lifting adhered to its up stream section is alsoobtained, and comprised as a way of example by a motoreducer D having aspeed shifter with which it is necessary to work in order to ensure ahigh equipment yield, since the speed must be adapted to the oildensity.

[0029] Said diver head C is comprised by its own frame c′ having a caseshape from which the counterweight c″ is suspended, said counterweightbeing provided in order to facilitate its immersion into the oil layer,with the rolls of the second set c mounted within said layer andcomprised by a pair of main top roll 10 and lower top roll 11 having aconcave surface, between which the band guidance is ensured by means oftwo intermediate auxiliary rolls 12 having a convex surface, so that theband remains extended in a transverse direction thereto when passingfrom the down stream section to the up stream section thus obtaining thedragging and lifting of a suitably thick oil layer on both of the bandfaces.

[0030] Likewise, said box-shaped frame of the diver head has anelongated quadrangular prismatic configuration with a head 13 havingnarrow grooves 13′ for the passage of the band so that it maypractically penetrate into the case without dragging oil, circulatebetween its rolls and go out again but now up stream and loading oil.

[0031] In this way, the introduction between the rolls of the stonesthat are usually in the oil and which may block the operation of saidrolls is avoided.

[0032] In contrast with said head, the case has a bottom 14 with littleholes 14′ in order to unload the sand the band might drag while passingthrough the head.

[0033] It has been provided to make said case with a big side hole forthe roll mounting and a lid screwed to the opposite wall with therespective axis mounted between them.

[0034] With regard to the above-comments on the friction transmissionbetween the band and the motor pulley 9, it should be added that besidestrying to embrace a broad area of the motor pulley rim by means of theproper location of rolls 1 and 8, as shown in FIG. 2 in order to ensurethe band drive without slipping thereon, it has been provided tosupplementary ensure the friction between them by means of a pair ofrolls 15 mounted on the end of their respective arms of a support in “V”shape 16, which by means of a stem 17 on its vertex, said support isapplied in a frame guide 18, fixed so that rotation around itself isavoided and so that both rolls remain correctly positioned on the band,pressing it by the action of a compression spring 19 against the pulleyrim, which offers a suitable convex seat surface while he rolls providea concave surface.

[0035] It is obvious that the scope of this invention is not limited tothis adjustment device, which is mentioned as a mere illustrativeexample since it is not a per se characterization factor of theinvention.

[0036] With regard to the band, it is to be added that a material with ahydrocarbon high adherence framework must be used, for example aframework comprised by 80% polypropylene and having provided for thisexample a length that makes it possible to reach a 500-meter-depth.

[0037] With regard to the band installation in operative conditions, thefollowing has been established:

[0038] The band is fed from a coil mounted with free rotation, but witha certain stopping degree at the hole 3 of the well, on a support ofsaid structure E, with its outer end passing by roll 8 and extendeduntil the motor pulley thus forming the first section I and surroundingit below the rolls 15, it reaches the adjacent roll 1 from which it goesdown forming the up stream section III which passes between rolls10-11-12 of the diver head in order to finally get out of the latter toform section II around the other roll 1 and temporarily anchor the bandto said structure.

[0039] After this, the diver head C with its counterweight c″ must bearranged within the well hole and by rotating the motor wheel in reversedirection, the progressive unrolling of the band from the coil isobtained together with the gradual entrance of the diver head into thewell taking after it both up stream and down stream sections of the bandwhich will extend along the well at the same time until reaching thedesired immersion depth.

[0040] Once completed the unrolling of the coil, there appears its innerend that joins the outer end according to any of the arrangementsprovided by the art to join endless bands with a reduced thickness sothat its uniformity is kept, as can be seen in FIG. 2.

[0041] The equipment so comprised according to the basic generaloutlines is supplemented as previously mentioned with guiding andretaining means in both sections of the band and extended in the sameway as said sections along the well and also being suspended over thewell hole, of the said structure E supporting the equipment withoutobstructing the exit of the up stream section loaded with oil or thereentrance of the down stream section for a new extracting run.

[0042] Said means have been developed as a centralizing train F of bothup stream and down stream sections of the band, operating along thewhole length of said sections from the well hole to the diver head, andextended between both sections of the lifting band substantially withinthe medium longitudinal plan of the set, suspended by one top end ofsaid supporting structure and by the other end it is anchored to saidhead so that it remains at the same level as the band, between bothsections, but without exerting any tensile stress over the diver head inorder not to limit the band tension.

[0043] It consists simply in securing said laying together with saidcentralizing train with regard to both sections for which it will beenough to apply, if necessary, any of the arrangements provided for bythe art, for example a device which compares the tensions between theband and the centralizing train.

[0044] Said train is comprised by successive centralizing carriers finterconnected in a spaced out basis between each other to the structureand the diver head by means of holding and hitching belt g sections.

[0045] Each of said carriers f is comprised by an own frame with heads20 having hitching means for the respective sections of the holding beltg and having the essential feature of providing passages H-K for bothband sections II and II along thereof, one at each side of thesuccessive own sections of said belt.

[0046] A first passage H corresponds to the up stream section III of theband loaded with an oil layer en both faces thereof and so that thecarrier frame does not exert any dragging over said layers, being thispassage limited from one head to the other head 20 by a pair of endrolls 21 surrounding the inner face of the band and an intermediate roll22 surrounding the outer band face.

[0047] The above-mentioned rolls have a channeled surface as illustratedin the drawings which provides sharp ring edges 21′-22′ that slightlyproduce flutes in the oil layers at one and the other side of the bandand which close themselves when the edges get out and so on along thewhole train F so that the oil layer arrives practically intact at thewell hole despite the fact that the band has been guided step by step:carrier to carrier from said diver head C to said separating means dthat detach both oil layers from one and the other side of the bandpouring them into the collecting tray e.

[0048] The same happens as to the guidance of the oil free down streamsection II, which moves at the same time as the up stream section IIIalong the second passage K of the carrier frame, limited in this case byboth end rolls 21 that also roll over the inner band face while on theouter band face a shoe 23 slides at the level of the intermediate roll22 of the other passage, formed by a simple crossbar operating over theband without blocking its free sliding.

[0049] The frame of each of said centralizing carriers is comprised bytwo parallel plates 24 which are joined together by means of crossbars24′ formed as an integral part of said plates, with the mentioned heads20 connecting the mentioned sections of the holding belt, whichconnection is established by means of a bolt-pin 25 that passes throughan end loop 26 of the belt.

[0050] Practically, it has been provided as a way of example to formboth plates and their intermediate cross bars from a one meltingaluminium piece.

[0051] In this way, with a uniform separation between the carriers andthe diver head in a twelve and a half meter-belt, a firm and secureretention of both band sections and its diver head is obtained, whilekeeping the set perfectly centralized with respect to the well andretained against any movement on itself, in conditions that enable toensure a maximum yield extraction.

[0052] As it is easy to understand, the introduction of the centralizingtrain F will be made at the same time as the introduction of the bandand its head according to the above-mentioned indications, operating onthe belt by means of a spindle or the like which will let it in as thediver head C gets down with the gradual introduction of the carriersbetween their sections according to the current advisable art.

[0053] It is to be pointed out that in order to facilitate the mountingof said carriers between both band sections, the roll axis 27 as well asthe cross bar shoe 23 are comprised by easily dismountable bolts.

[0054] As it appears in FIG. 7, which shows a cross section of thecarrier schemed within a tubular well wall, it may be seen that anypossible contact between the carrier frame and this wall will beestablished by means of the corner portions of their heads 20 acting asshoes and in no case will the intermediate roll 22, which tends toproject out of the carrier, get in contact with said wall, thus avoidingany stopping action and consequently any oil retention by the latter.

[0055] As it becomes easy to understand, the design of the frame of eachof said carriers, their rolls and their location will be subject to theown characteristics of the well, particularly as to diameters isconcerned.

[0056] On the other hand, and always within the scope of this invention,it must be mentioned that in order to ensure the friction between thelifting belt A and the motor pulley 9, an alternative has been providedwith regard to the already described one and illustrated in FIG. 2,which is illustrated below in relation with the scheme in FIG. 10.

[0057] According to this new arrangement, two motor pulleys 9 and 9′ areprovided together and coupled between each other to the same power plantillustrated in FIG. 8 by means of a chain transmission (not illustrated)between the respective axis of both pulleys.

[0058] The second pulley 9′ replaces roll 8 of the example of FIG. 2 andon the mentioned higher section 1 of the band that would be extendedbetween both pulleys, an intermediate roll 30 is introduced and mountedwith free rotation on the frame in order to increase at a maximum thelength of this band section which remains adjusted around both pulleys.

[0059] In order to ensure friction even more between said higher sectionI and the rim of both pulleys, a pair of rolls 31 is included, saidrolls being equivalent to the rolls 15 of the previous example, locatedat the ends of a lever 32 pressed by a spring 33 supported on a buffer34 provided by the top end frame B on this set, where the guidance andoperation of the band from both rolls I towards the interior of the wellis kept according to what has already been described and illustrated andas appears in said scheme.

1. Oil extraction equipment, characterized in that it comprises aproportionally wide endless band which acts as a conveyor belt having afirst section extended between a first outer set of holding rolls thatguide a cellar top end frame, mounted on the hole of the latter, inorder to connect the second and third hanging sections of the respectiveadjacent rolls which are longitudinally extended at the same level inrespect with each other, by the inner part of the well with freemovement with regard to the lining-wall thereof, one of them being upstream and the other one being down stream, and connected with eachother by means of a second set of rolls having a lower end head whichtautens them, and which as a diver is deeply submerged in the oil layer,thus providing a counterweight capable of securing the permanent layingof the band along its length, and comprising said second and thirdsections their respective sectors out of the well hole, of which atleast the corresponding up stream section is operatively related withthe means capable of causing the detachment of the oil layer adhered toboth faces of the band, said means being connected with correspondingcollecting means, including said top cellar end frame, where propellingmeans of the band coupled to at least a motor pulley integrated in saidfirst set of rolls and connected thereto by means of a frictiontransmission, being both sections of the band extended within the welland operatively related with supplementary guiding and retaining means,which are jointly extended together thereto and suspended independentlyof said sections from said top cellar end frame.
 2. Oil extractionequipment according to claim 1, characterized in that said guiding meansof the band sections extended within the well are comprised by acentralizing train which is extended between both sections and suspendedby its top end of said cellar frame bearing its whole weight in saidframe completely independently of said sections.
 3. Oil extractionequipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that saidcentralizing train forming guiding means is anchored by one lower end ofthe set of its composing elements to the diver head as a simple hitchpositioning device of this train end with respect to both band sectionsthrough said diver head.
 4. Oil extraction equipment according to claim2, characterized in that said centralizing train is composed of severalcentralizing carriers which are spaced out and hitched up to each other,and it is also suspended from said top cellar end frame bearing itswhole weight on said frame by means of sections of a suspension beltextending on a spaced out basis between both sections of the liftingbelt, which are capable of keeping said train laying at the same levelthereof without making any contact with any of them and without exertingany loading action over them.
 5. Oil extraction equipment according toclaim 4, characterized in that each of the centralizing carriers has itsown frame with their respective hitching means for said sections of thesuspension belt and at the same time said frame provides two parallelpassages for each of the sections of the lifting belt, of which thecorresponding up stream section with the oil load is limited betweentree channeled rolls, two ends that roll over the inner face thereof andanother intermediate roll which rolls over the outer section face, whilethe passage for the down stream section is limited between both endrolls that roll over their inner face and an intermediate cross barlocated as a shoe against its outer face at the level of saidintermediate roll of the adjacent passage.
 6. Oil extraction equipmentaccording to claim 4, characterized in that said frame of eachcentralizing carriers provides the respective corner portions capable ofacting as shoes with regard to the well wall thus keeping theintermediate roll separated from it.
 7. Oil extraction equipmentaccording to claim 4, characterized in that the set of rolls of thediver head is in a case having corner edges capable of acting as shoeswith regard to the well wall, having a head with narrow grooves for asubstantially adjusted passage for both band sections and amultiperforated bottom with little unloading holes for thin granulessuch as sand.
 8. Oil extraction equipment according to claim 1,characterized in that said operating means include two motor pulleysarranged together at the same level in operative friction transmissionrelationship with said first section of the lifting belt, coupled witheach other, including between both pulleys an intermediate roll having afree rotation capable of lengthening the contact length between the bandand their respective friction rims.
 9. Oil extraction equipmentaccording to claim 1, characterized in that in an operative relationshipwith said friction transmission between the first section of the liftingband and the motor pulley, adjusting means are included between them.